LIMA — Lima schools has narrowed down its search for a new treasurer to four candidates, and board of education members expect to have the position filled by Sept. 9.
The board held two rounds of interviews Wednesday and Thursday, meeting with two candidates each night. A second round will be held next Thursday, at which time the applicants will present a five-year budget forecast.
All four candidates are from the northwest Ohio area and have experience working as a school treasurer, board president Dennis Williams said. One of the applicants, Shelly Reiff, is currently the district’s interim treasurer. She interviewed on Thursday night.
Williams said the ideal candidate needs to be fiscally sound, knowledgeable of changes to the Ohio state budget and able to update the board on funding information.
“Another important piece is to have somebody who is involved in the community,” he said. “They need to come to events and be seen around the community. That is essential to us.”
According to the job description, the treasure will be responsible for overseeing the district’s entire financial operation, the accuracy and timeliness of reporting, development of the budget and the five-year forecast. The applicant must posses a valid Ohio Treasurer’s license and a bachelor’s degree. A base salary for the position is expected to be between $90,000 and $110,000, though compensation is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.
The person hired will replace Ryan Stechschulte, who had been with the district for 12 years before accepting a treasurer position with Toledo schools.
“Ryan was very open, and you could always approach him or ask him questions,” Williams said. “We’ve expressed to our potential treasurers that they should also be very open, and I’m confident the person we hire will do that.”
The expected start date for the new treasurer is Oct. 1.
